Fluke/Flea players: what strings do you use?

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ukeatan

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Hey UUers,

Just got a new concert Fluke to kick around today! :D

I was, of course, excited to start strumming away on the thing, but I was quickly disappointed with just HOW BAD the strings it came with were (Hilo black nylons). They feel chalky on the fingers and sound like someone slipped sleeping pills in their pineapple juice.

So what strings do you guys like on your Flukes and Fleas? Anyone done any comparisons?
 
I put Worth Medium Clear on my concert Fluke but I want to try Fremont, not sure if I want hard or medium though...
 
My Flea sounds great with Aquila strings.
 
Call me crazy, but I actually think the Hilos that came with my Flea sound fine.

I've got some Aquillas to put on it, but so far I haven't really feel a strong need to do so. I'll just let 'em wear out and replace them then.

JJ
 
I have D'Addario J92s on mine. They're about twice as thick as the Hilos, and the hard tension is something I still need to get used to. But they sound great!
 
I think the original Flea strings are great for the soprano Fleas. I'm very happy with their sound.

However, I prefer the sound of Aquila strings on my concert Flea.

Part of the fun of learning/exploring ukulelia is to try new/different stuff. That includes strings. I say give the Aquilas a shot. You'll only be out a few bucks and you'll learn how to change strings to boot.

Aldon:shaka:
 
Ukulele JJ said:
Call me crazy, but I actually think the Hilos that came with my Flea sound fine.

I've got some Aquillas to put on it, but so far I haven't really feel a strong need to do so.
Click to expand...
Wow, calling you crazy would be like calling myself crazy so I will refrain from doing so... I have had my Fluke for a year now, put on Aquila, then Worth, then Aquila in a "search for the Holy Grail"-type string frenzy, then I got fed up with the stiff Aquilas and put on the Hilos again. Never been happier. For some reason (which probably comes down to my incompetence and nothing else), fretting was uncomfortable with the Aquila strings but now all is smooth as Hilo butter again. Wheeee~! :music:
 
I have aquilas on one of my flukes. I still have the aquilas on now, but I think they're just sort of "meeeh" on the fluke. They're loud, but the hilos were just as loud, and only sacrificed a tiny amount of tone, but made it way easier for bends and other shennanigans. So I actually find myself preferring the hilos. And I had worths on my fluke at one point...but then, I guess there was something wrong, and they kept snapping in the bridge, so I put on the aforementioned aquilas.

But at the end of the day, Hilos on the fluke are great until I try another even better string.
 
I've played Fluke with Hilos, Aquila, Koolau Golds and they all sounded great. It's what you like. I'd probably buy 8 or 9 Flukes and string them up differently if I liked them that much.
 
Hey, thanks to everyone who chimed in!!

I think I'll break in the Hilos a little more (only had my Fluke a few days) to see if they improve, otherwise I'll try some Ko'olaus since I have some at hand.

To my ears, the Hilos mainly just sound too thin -- tho not sure how much of that is the strings vs. the instrument, I guess I will find out!


Another thing regarding the Hilos: black stings on a black fretboard with black fret "wires"? I mean, these Flukes and Fleas are touted as beginner instruments, but if I didn't know how to play a bit already, I think I'd find that setup quite visually confusing...
 
The invisible strings on invisible frets was a turn-off when I played a Flea in a store, so I opted for the rosewood when I got mine. The neat thing about the plastic fretboard, though, is that you can take a paint marker or some nail polish to the edge of the frets so you can see them better!
Hilo strings are good for cheap strings (better than GHS!), but they are definitely on the thin side. D'Addario Pro Artes are on the other side of the spectrum. If you're looking for a happy medium, give Ko'olau Golds, Aquilas, or Worths a shot. They all sound different, but they're all good.
 
I played about five months with the Aquila strings and they sounded good. But after I switched to a low g tuning they didn't balance as well to my ear.

Recently switched to the Worth Brown low g set and really like it. Less bright and plinky but fuller. A little more sophisticated sounding imho for the seventh chords I'm crawling around on more and more.

I also find the Worths easy to play, although as someone else mentioned about these strings, they're initially a little harder on the fingers for some reason.
 
My two Flukes came with difefrent strings - the concert with black strings that were possibly GHS or Hilos, the tenor with Koolau Gold. I much prefer the latter. I'm getting ready to replace the tenor strings (sold the concert Fluke) and am looking at options. I have the plastic fretboard, so I need unwound strings.

My other choice is to buy a second Fluke, with a rosewood fretboard and go crazy with wound strings!
 
My Surf Flea came with Hilos on it and that worked for a while, but I started to dislike the sound.

I swapped them out for some Ko'olau Golds and love it to death. The gold color looks great against the gold/red top with Tiki King's design on it. :D
 
On my tenor fluke I use 3 worth clear strings (C-E-A) and a D'addario classical guitar D string for the low-G.
 
The Hilos will mellow after about 2 months of play on the Flukes and Fleas. The satin finish also smoothes out so they don't sound as "scratchy' when plucked.
 
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